# The Jan 6 Insurrection: what crimes were committed, what does accountability look like?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jan-6-insurrection-what-crimes-were-committed-what-does-accountability-look-like/957269>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [January 5, 2022, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jan-6-insurrection-what-crimes-were-committed-what-does-accountability-look-like/957269 "2022-01-05T16:01:26Z")\
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**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2022, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jan-6-insurrection-what-crimes-were-committed-what-does-accountability-look-like/957269/5 "2022-01-05T17:12:18Z")

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I’ve been thinking “conspiracy to defraud the United States”.

IANAL, but everything I’ve read about this offense indicates that the fraud doesn’t have to involve cheating the government out of money or property — interfering with or obstructing legitimate government activity is enough.

> **[Conspiracy against the United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_against_the_United_States)**
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> Pages for logged out editors learn more
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> 			 
> Conspiracy against the United States, or conspiracy to defraud the United States, is a federal offense in the United States of America under 18 U.S.C. § 371. The crime is that of two or more persons who conspire to commit an offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States.
> 18 U.S.C. § 371 provides that:

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